MANCHESTER, N.H. – Despite goals from Zach Wheeler (Derry, N.H.) and Sean Smith (Hampstead, N.H.), the Saint Anselm College men's soccer team fell to the Clippers of Concordia (N.Y.) College, 3-2, in each team's season opener Friday night at Grappone Stadium.
The Hawks begin their season at 0-1-0, while the Clippers improve to 1-0-0.
Concordia struck first with a goal just 7:04 into the contest. After the Clippers were awarded a corner, Victor Ruiz sent the ball into the box where Ekene Okereke headed it into the open right side of the net, just inside the near post.
After back-and-forth action for over 60 minutes, the Clippers doubled their lead in the 71st minute when Okereke beat a defender for a clean breakaway, pulling Saint Anselm goalkeeper Eric Moriarty (Center Harbor, N.H.) out of the net, before kicking the ball past him into the empty right side of the goal.
The Hawks answered back just under three minutes later on Wheeler's first career goal. After a Matthew McQueeney (Hooksett, N.H.) corner kick, the ball ricocheted off a pair of bodies in the box before Wheeler was able to put his head on it and loop it into the open right side of the net.
Concordia pushed the lead back to two, however, in the 78th minute when Jesus Alvarez-Riesco fought with a Saint Anselm defender for a good angle to get a shot off on the right side of the box. Riesco's low shot looked to be scooped up by Moriarty just inside the near post, but the ball skipped through his legs and into the net to make it 3-1.
Saint Anselm would cut the deficit to one with five seconds left on Smith's first career tally, but it was too little, too late, as Concordia escaped with the victory.
Moriarty and Concordia goalkeeper Luis Barajas each made one save.
The Hawks lost despite outshooting the Clippers, 14-8, and holding a 9-3 advantage in corners.
The Hawks return to action Saturday, Sept. 1 as they play host to Saint Thomas Aquinas in a 7 p.m. tilt at Grappone Stadium. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by friending us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/STAHawks) and following us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/STAHawks).
